A court in Urumqi, Xinjiang, has ordered three men to pay over 100,000 yuan (nearly 400 million VND) in compensation to the family of a friend who died following an all-night drinking session.
The incident occurred in October 2025. According to court records, a man identified as Gao spent an evening drinking and playing mahjong with three friends, starting around 9 p.m. and continuing until 6 a.m. the following day. The group then moved to a billiard hall for another 30 minutes.
After leaving the billiard hall, Gao and his three companions took a taxi home. Due to Gao's severe intoxication, he failed to recognize when the taxi passed his residence, necessitating the group to walk back.
Public surveillance cameras captured two of the friends supporting Gao, while the third paid the taxi fare. They escorted Gao only as far as his building's staircase before leaving him and departing, failing to ensure he reached his apartment safely.
Approximately 20 minutes later, police responded to a report at Gao's home. An ambulance also arrived, but medical personnel confirmed Gao's death. Sources indicate Gao died from a myocardial infarction, with alcohol identified as a contributing factor.
Following Gao's death, his family filed a lawsuit against the mahjong parlor and the three friends, seeking 570,000 yuan (about 2.2 billion VND) in damages.
The court ruled that Gao bore 90% of the responsibility for his death, while his three friends were held 10% liable. The mahjong parlor was absolved of responsibility; the court noted that while the owner provided alcohol, Gao was not coerced into drinking and exhibited no clear signs of critical distress upon leaving the establishment.
The three friends were found negligent for abandoning Gao. Despite knowing he was heavily intoxicated, they merely escorted him to the building's staircase before leaving, failing to confirm his safe entry into his home or to inform his family of his condition.
Each of the three friends was ordered to pay 34,000 yuan. The friend who had paid the taxi fare appealed the decision, but the court ultimately upheld its original verdict.
Hai Thu (According to SCMP)
